UFO-type EV tipped to be next Uber

The Manta M4 single passenger flying EV takes off from land and sea but can only land in water, travelling at about 104.6km/h and weighs as much as a small jet ski.

Revealed at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, founder David Simchon told DailyMail.com how his vehicle could  be the next pleasure craft of the skies.

While only a model was shown at CES, SimTech Labs says the full product will be unveiled at a boat show in Florida this month (the Miami International Boat Show is February 12-16) when it hits the market.

Using three propellors, it can fly for 30 minutes on an electric battery or for three hours using one of its hydrogen fuel cells, the report says.

Steered using a joystick, riders can get up to 152 metres high and are protected by a glass hood.

Simchon reckons users won’t need a licence due to the craft’s lightweight design (about 136kg).

However, owners without a pilot’s licence will have to follow the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations and airspace restrictions, says the report.

The Manta M4 has a thermal onboard system to detect and warn of birds and other dangers in the air and a system giving ultrasonic sounds to scare away sharks that may be in the water..

The base features a 360-degree camera, allowing riders to capture views of the world below or check the water beneath for any signs of rocks or sharks.

It also has eight ultrasonic sensors, 16 sonar disruptions sensors and four thermal cameras to capture scenes of its surroundings and avoid oncoming obstacles.

Three parachutes can be deployed to ensure a safe landing in an emergency.

SimTech labs launched an aircraft called the Icarus Hoverbike last year.

Aircraft and flying taxis – some autonomous – are expected to be routinely whizzing around US skies within the next few years according to the FAA, the report adds.

The UK Government says it expects them to be ‘routinely’ in operation by 2028

Developer SimTech Labs prices the craft at US$300,000 for one, with 10 initially due on sale.

Another UFO-like aircraft at CES (January 6-9) was Invo Station’s battery electric and autonomous personal flying vehicle ‘VO Invo Moon’, taking up to three passengers.

Toyota debuted its Joby Aviation electric air taxi at CES, expected to be on sale later this year. Toyota has invested about US$894 million in Joby Aviation.